A Missouri man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison following his conviction for recording a minor in the bathroom, alongside other allegations of child sexual abuse. U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig delivered the sentence to Rayford Evans, 52, of Doniphan, Ripley County, after a one-day bench trial held in January. Evans was found guilty of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Evans recorded a 15-year-old girl using his cellphone by placing it near a bathroom window. The girl discovered the phone, informed a friend, her friend’s father, and ultimately contacted her own father. This led to the involvement of the Doniphan City Police Department, who recovered three videos from Evans’ device that he had attempted to erase.
During the proceedings, another victim recounted her experiences of abuse by Evans. Further testimony disclosed that Evans had also recorded videos of a different girl. At the sentencing hearing, three additional victims testified about past abuses they suffered under Evans.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter, “Evans has sexually exploited children for decades,” and “used bribery in the form of electronics, toys, and candy to violate the trust of innocent children to sexually abuse them.” One victim's letter characterized Evans as a predator who has targeted children for "at least 26 years." Evans has denied allegations involving other victims.
The investigation was a joint effort by the FBI and the Doniphan City Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuting the case.
This conviction is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program leverages various resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders and to rescue victims. Additional details about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
